James 1:27
25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.
Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
- KJV
- Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
- WEB
- Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
- ASV
- Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
- DARBY
- Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
- BLB
- Pure and undefiled religion before the God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their tribulation, to keep oneself unstained from the world.
- ÅB
- En ren og usmittet gudsdyrkelse for Gud og Faren er dette: å se til farløse og enker i deres trengsel, å holde seg selv uplettet av verden.
- OTB
- Religion som Gud vår Far aksepterer som ren og feilfri er denne: å ta seg av foreldreløse og enker i deres nød og å holde seg selv uforurenset av verden.
- B1930
- En ren og usmittet gudsdyrkelse for Gud og Faderen er dette: å se til farløse og enker i deres trengsel, å holde sig selv uplettet av verden.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Isaiah 1:16–17
Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
Read in context1 John 3:17–19
If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him?
Read in contextGalatians 6:9–10
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Read in contextRomans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Read in contextMatthew 25:34–46
Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
Read in contextIsaiah 58:6–7
Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?
Read in context1 John 2:15–17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Read in contextJob 31:15–20
Did not He who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same One form us in the womb?
Read in context